durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, November 29, 2018 | 54 COLUMNIST DOUGSMITH'SMOTTO ISNEVERGIVEUP L p VERSATILE FORWARD IS ARELIABLEAND STAR JOHNMACLEAN SON OFFORMERGENS s s 2 c t f d g f m m t a s a w h c t t a w s m c O w b g g I ( w y t b WHEN YOURBEST IS NOT ENOUGH KYLE MACLEANCOMINGINTO HISOWN WITH GENERALS b B or any player, but especially amilies. the NCAA), but this is the route hose who come from another he league are able to enjoy. ional Athletic Collegiate Asso- he fourth round, over the Na- he best place to play as a 16- omething that made you feel wereports fun, enjoyable and ide, a offering level of support mooth. "I thought it was the 015. ountry, as Kyle MacLean did in iation (NCAA), the route taken redited his grandparents for ood? Those were the good old [email protected] rown product to play for the uably the best-ever home- nd comfort that few others in nd his grandparents still re- ls, the team that drafted him in y his older brother, John Jr. ear-old and moving forward as ays, right? lay in the Ontario Hockey est place for me to develop and RIAN MCNAIR ome away from home in Osha- chose." eague at 16 is a daunting task shawa," said MacLean, who a, where his dad was raised hy MacLean chose the Gener- as very comfortable coming to ell. I definitely thought about any young athletes and their ade a sports stressful job for aking the transition more O O D O M U " I M t's a big of part the reason When I made the decision, I PINION SHAWA GENERALS o you remember when nfortunately, we have now SHAWA - Heading to off acLean, however, found a acLean's father, John, is ar- Column SMITH DR. DOUGLAS b p E t c t p a g a c S p n t b t G h i o Ontario Hockey League. Oshawa Generals'Kyle MacLeanishaving atremendousseasonwiththeOshawa yearinthe Generalsinhisfourth ng career in the NHL. he next level, they fear they are he ladder to higher levels of he New Jersey Devils and going o a championship in 1983 before ompetition. onstantly if they are going to be roup. Soon hockey is no longer s players get better and im- ble to keep up with this elite n to a long and productive play- e No. 1 in the league. Of course, ressure to win every and game rove their skills, they move up ete with the stars of the team. eing selected sixth overall by o, they work harder and worry o longer good enough to com- is father play, but he did grow ven in house league, there is a enerals, helping lead the team T W K hink of hockey, for example. yle is too young to have seen hen youngsters move up to l s t f a a f c l a a c u a l d p m l f e s t y and stay ahead of the pack. It's y the strongest physically and adder in hockey, the pressure ike many other sports, has in- or performance, such that kids un, but a daily grind to prove avourite player, Zach Parise. "I hemselves worthy of being he sport. tars. aid MacLean, who tried to mod- reased the level of expectations oached there in the early 2000s, l his own after game that of his nd act like pros. re expected to perform, work nd stress accelerates; hockey, nd quickly became addicted to eal with criticism constructive- ressure to constantly improve, p around the Devils when John entally are able to adapt to the dog-eat-dog worlddog-eat-dog for young T I " t's survival of the On- fittest. It was definitely special," he higher one moves up the T b p a s t l p i p a l t t o a y a m e t t t i w t imits. If you're thinking the sys- tive and sports teach them to ng in the footsteps of his old earned a lot from my dad being em is going to change any time he world works today. o do us any good. That's the way hink that will work. ough, it's OK to quit? I don't hink that when the going gets each them to understand that oon, you're wrong. fforts are notfforts enough, we can thletes. f the system, but it's not going ll we want with the unfairness ltogether inltogether his NHL draft ear, in 2017. ility and desire to work like a ossess the maturity, responsi- ush themselves beyond their rofessional atmosphere." rojan, make and sacrifices e take the kids out of compet- an, and in fact was passed over coach and being around that U M W W W nfortunately, very few kids e can cry and get frustrated acLean is not quite follow- hat should we do? Should hen our kids feel their best Ryan Pfeiffer/Metroland g o i e a n l t g t W s c e c h e f t m j p l o f s s c y o o c s o G . m 4 p n a p 4 2 n t w l n t w a l a c c b a ca. ust competes every day for us." y over the league-leading Otta- or help. There are mental sports s very much coming into his eadership - he's been an alter- oose-puck battles, and 50-50 eague my couple first of years or us, and he's doing really well hem express their discourage- his is a test to make them stron- hem. he next, he to started turn a cor- hrough 25 games. He also ince 1985. Contact him at 905- pecializing in sport psychology ensed psychologist in Ontario, aid Generals head coach Greg hip in 2015, the team's second 30-3538 or drdoug@pro- 4-game season. 4-game 8 points in an injury-shortened hoice behind first-rounder and an always improve and stretch omplete 200-foot player game reased is "Confidence offence. omfortable," his said of the in- xperts, who are available to ry facet of the game. xtremely hard, he hits, he's a wn now, nearing a point-per- oung and older athletes. er, tougher and smarter. ur mind. ur abilities using the power of nd steady, reliable play in ev- n our power play. He's winning ff aff Memorial Cup champion- nd 13 in a full season 68-game nd now I feel a lot better and m putting it all a together little ame average while providing ucks. He's one of the guys that ick-deleted draft. oints in 47 as games a rookie it more as well." elp make things a lot easier for ate captain the past two years - ow captain Jack Studnicka in a er offensively last season with otched a shootout winning tal- enerals team that was coming a 67's last Wednesday. ith seven goals and 20 points ind.ca; website www.promind- huge thing. I got to know the ent and frustration - and love alter. "He's a mucker, he works B E " M D D M A N " He's a and heart soul guy," I think that's just being more mpathize with them, and let ut, the 19-year-old forward on't be afraid to reach out r. Douglas Smith is a li- fter putting up only nine ow, he's a key contributor y motto is: never give up. We acLean joined a rebuilding